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How to Find a Mechanic That’s Right For You

When it comes to your car, you don’t want to trust just anyone to make the repairs that you need. And if you don’t know how to fix your car yourself, you’re really limited when it comes to options for good mechanics. You don’t want to get nickel and dimed, but at the same time, you want to be sure that your car is well taken care of and is actually going to receive the care that it deserves.

So if you’re feeling somewhat in the dark when it comes to finding the right mechanic, read through these quick tips, and next time your car is in need of some TLC, you’ll be glad you know what you’re looking for!

Of course, researching mechanics in your area is an obvious place to start, but the important tip to take away from this article is to research a good mechanic before you actually need one. Put in the work now to find someone who you think might be good for you so that should anything come up with your car, you know immediately who to go to. Even go and meet with some of your options before anything is even wrong with the car.

The truth is, when something does go wrong with an automobile, the owner often panics and rushes through the research process. To avoid this, just be prepared ahead of time.

Put Price Aside First

This may be hard to do, but if you can put aside the price points at first and narrow down a list of mechanics based on strong recommendations, you’ll be more likely to find someone who will treat your car much better. Instead of looking at price lists right off the bat, read some reviews or call around to friends, neighbors and other community members to get recommendations.

Then, narrow down your list of the highly recommended mechanics, and shop by price at that point. Once you have a few reputable choices to look into, then it’s time to do the comparison shopping.

Keep it Local

The problem with the big-box auto repair shops is that they don’t rely much on repeat business because they have such big brand names for themselves. They’re usually quick stops for people who don’t know where else to go, so they’ll be much more likely to take advantage of your wallet if you choose to go to one.

If you stay local, you’re more likely to find a mechanic who works mostly off of referrals. And when a mechanic is working off of word of mouth alone, they’re far more likely to be giving it their all for your car while offering fair prices. If they were taking advantage of their customers, they wouldn’t be receiving any referrals.

When All Else Fails, Use an Honesty Check

If you’re having some difficulty researching mechanics or hearing of any that you think might be reputable, or if you’ve found too many good ones and can’t choose between all of them, it might not be a bad idea to do an honesty check. Consider taking your car to a mechanic you’re looking into when there’s nothing wrong with it. Tell them you think there might be a problem, even though you know there isn’t one.

An honest mechanic will tell you that everything looks fine – a dishonest one will try to find something wrong with your car. If you choose to utilize this tactic, just use caution. Make sure there’s really nothing wrong with your car, and test a mechanic that you think you’re most likely to use in the future. No one likes working for free – so be willing to pay to cover an hour’s worth of labor or something of the sort, but don’t pay to have anything else done to the car.

Stay Loyal

When you’ve finally found a mechanic that you like and can trust, remember to stay loyal to them! Give them the positive referrals that they deserve, and don’t betray them by suddenly switching to another mechanic to have one tiny little problem worked out. Find someone you like, and stick with them.